East Yorkshire is dominated by arable land, so grassland cover is lower than other areas of England. Very little of our grassland resource is wildlife-rich. Improved grasslands that make up our livestock pastures cover approximately 7% of our area, but species-rich semi-natural grassland make up only 1%, and heathland is only 0.05%. Limestone habitats are especially rich in wildlife, as highlighted in the State of Yorkshire’s Nature reportxxiv. Cretaceous chalk in the Yorkshire Wolds support important but fragmented species-rich chalk grasslands.
Traditional hay production generated wildflower-rich grasslands, which require nutrient-poor soils and protection from grazing during the flowering period. Changes in agricultural practices over the last few decades led to a greater use of fertilisers and chemical inputs and increase in livestock numbers.
These practices have enriched the soils and increased grass yields, leading to a reduction in floral diversity.
The HEY LNRS is promoting reinstatement of grassland management practices that require low nutrient inputs, and grazing / cutting regimes that maximise the flowering window of our grasslands over spring and summer. We are keen to raise the value of wildflower-rich hay and seed production to bring local value back to these products, including increasing skills and jobs around seed collection and propagation.
Where traditional markets for hay are not present, we will also explore new investment markets such as feedstocks for anaerobic digestion to increase local green energy. Road verges also require management to maximise their floral diversity, and similar management measures will benefit them as well.
Grasslands can act as important buffers to wildlife-rich sites and transitional habitats within our landscapes. Management of important grassland areas sometimes involves removal of scrub (where this has spread onto grassland). However, scrub also supports a wide range of pollinators and birds, so this must be considered in habitat management decisions.
Heathland is extremely rare in East Yorkshire, with Allerthorpe Common being the only significant example, but small areas do exist in other locations such as Cali Heath, South Cliffe Common, and North Cliffe Woods. We will work to buffer and expand where possible this rare habitat type, increasing our acid grassland resource as the first step in heathland creation.
The growing frequency and intensity of heatwaves and drought, driven by climate change, is increasing the risks of wildfires to specific habitats such as heathland and reedbed.
Proactive measures such as vegetation management, wetland restoration where appropriate, and raising public awareness about wildfire prevention and responsible land use can reduce these risks.
Brown Hare, Barn Owl, Tree Sparrow, Kestrel, Adder, Woodlark, Nightjar, and lepidoptera.
Lowland calcareous grassland, lowland meadow, lowland dry acid grassland, and lowland heathland.
Pollination, carbon storage, water storage, and recreation.
Allerthorpe Common is of significant historical and ecological value. Owned by the Forestry England, it contains a Yorkshire Wildlife Trust managed section of heathland. The site has become notable for being the largest of its kind in East Yorkshire and the only known location in the county to host an Adder population outside of the Humberhead levels and one of the only known populations of Slow-worm in East Yorkshire.
Allerthorpe Common contains a diverse range of habitats, which include wet and dry heath, acid grassland, scrub, broadleaf and conifer woodland, and open water. The drier areas are dominated by Heather, Tormentil, and Wavy Hair-grass, while the damper sections host Purple Moor-grass and the nationally rare May Lily. Gorse provides essential shelter for birds and Adder hibernacula, and their root systems are critical in supporting the reserve’s adder population.
The continued health of Allerthorpe Common’s heathland relies upon preventing succession to woodland through careful habitat management, including ride and glade management to facilitate heather regeneration. Sections of the site benefit from livestock grazing which help control tree saplings and coarse grasses, preventing scrub and Bracken encroachment. Volunteers regularly manage Bramble and Bracken, removing any birch saplings missed by the grazing animals. This keeps the heathland open, which is crucial for the reptile species and the rich variety of invertebrate species. Over 200 species of moths and 150 species of spiders have been recorded, and the ponds around the common host a variety of water beetles. Dragonflies, such as the Four-spotted Chaser and Blue-tailed Damselfly, are a common sight darting above the water, as are Green Tiger Beetles and Sexton Beetles.
The Common is also a key site in Yorkshire for the threatened Tormentil Mining Bee, which benefits from scrub control at appropriate times of year to ensure abundant flowering Tormentil and maintain bare ground areas for nesting. Birds also thrive here, including Nightjar, Tree Pipit, and Wood Lark. The area is also frequented by common species such Roe Deer, Red Fox, and Badger. Like many nature-rich sites in Hull and East Yorkshire, the site does contain INNS Non-Native Species (INNS) such as Himalayan Balsam and suffer from recreational disturbance as a popular dog walking site.
Reptiles are sensitive to habitat disruption, and the future of the Adder population at Allerthorpe is dependent on the successful management of the heathland, keeping it open, which is crucial for reptile and heathland specialist species. As one of the last vestiges of lowland heath in the county, Allerthorpe Common is a site of particular importance for biodiversity in the HEY LNRS and an important site to build nature recovery efforts out from while safeguarding its current biodiversity through improving its ecological condition.